Dr Whitford claimed that surgeons on Tyneside may have to stop performing cancer operations because of the cost.

But nothing could be further from the truth. The hospital in Gateshead which she mentioned doesn’t do any cancer operations. And the boss of the hospital in Newcastle which does carry them out has dismissed her claims as “codswallop” and a “load of old cr*p”.

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For an NHS chief to speak in such blunt language tells you everything you need to know about how furious Dr Whitford’s colleagues are about her untruths.

That’s hardly surprising. The idea that the people of Newcastle would ever stop treating cancer patients because it costs too much is nothing more than scaremongering nonsense.

Dr Whitford has an excuse. She’s not a politician and has been, at best, naive.

As recently as the 2011 Holyrood elections, the SNP were pointing out that the Scottish NHS is safe precisely because it is run from Scotland.

Now, down in the polls and without an answer about what currency we will use if we can’t have the pound, they suddenly insist only a Yes vote will protect the health service.

This is just plain wrong. To watch the First Minister engage in these tactics is disappointing, to say the least.

But after his unconvincing performance in the first TV debate, it’s easy to understand why Salmond isn’t so keen to talk about currency, EU membership, the economy, pensions and a host of other subjects.

The challenge for Alistair Darling in tonight’s TV debate is to expose Nationalist lies on their NHS red herring – then move the focus back to issues that really matter.

Blair hitch project

Tony Blair did a lot of good in Downing Street before taking Britain into the Iraq War but now seems hell-bent on destroying what’s left of his own reputation.

The ex-PM has been caught red-handed advising Kazakhstan’s despot president Nursultan Nazarbayev about how to best spin the brutal shooting of 14 protesters.

Blair has made millions since leaving Downing Street. This latest earner shows either a breathtaking level of greed or, at best, a terrible lapse of judgement.